diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d4b1403a6..cbaa0dd53 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -115,3 +115,6 @@ celerybeat-schedule*
 
 # Git worktree local folder
 .worktrees
+
+# Benchmark tooling output (local only, never committed)
+/benchmark_results/
diff --git a/src/paperless/settings/__init__.py b/src/paperless/settings/__init__.py
index 55aac5a91..129fa9b3e 100644
--- a/src/paperless/settings/__init__.py
+++ b/src/paperless/settings/__init__.py
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     "drf_spectacular",
     "drf_spectacular_sidecar",
     "treenode",
+    "paperless_benchmark.apps.PaperlessBenchmarkConfig",
     *env_apps,
 ]
 
diff --git a/src/paperless_benchmark/__init__.py b/src/paperless_benchmark/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/src/paperless_benchmark/apps.py b/src/paperless_benchmark/apps.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05cbdc0b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/paperless_benchmark/apps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+from django.apps import AppConfig
+from django.utils.translation import gettext_lazy as _
+
+
+class PaperlessBenchmarkConfig(AppConfig):
+    name = "paperless_benchmark"
+
+    verbose_name = _("Paperless benchmark")
diff --git a/src/paperless_benchmark/management/__init__.py b/src/paperless_benchmark/management/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/src/paperless_benchmark/management/commands/__init__.py b/src/paperless_benchmark/management/commands/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb